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For a moment, Irma Garcia tried to protect the children from the shootings at Robb d’Uvalde Elementary School, Tex. The next day, the 48-year-old teacher had been killed in the deadliest school shooting in state history.
Two days later, her husband, Joe Garcia, suffered a fatal heart attack, moments after returning home from a trip to a memorial for the victims. He had picked flowers to pay tribute to his wife, another teacher and 19 students who lost their lives.
The couple left four children: Cristian, 23; Jose, 19; Lyliana, 15; and Alysandra, 12. On Saturday afternoon, more than 44,000 donors had raised more than $ 2.5 million from GoFundMe to help them.
“His family was an all-American family,” John Martinez told The Washington Post this week about his aunt, uncle and cousins. “They’re great people. The whole family, they’re all great people. They don’t deserve that.”
The husband of the murdered teacher dies of a heart attack days after the shooting at the school
Irma Garcia’s cousin Debra Austin, who created the GoFundMe page, wrote online that Irma was a woman, a mother of four, an aunt, a cousin, a sister, and a daughter who “would literally do anything for anyone “.
“I really think Joe died with a broken heart and losing the love of his life for over 25 years was too much to bear,” he wrote.
“Please keep our family in your thoughts and prayers,” he added.
The main donation, more than $ 500,000, was from an independent GoFundMe created by Martinez. The site has also received several other high-dollar donations and was promoted on social media by Bill Pulte, philanthropist and CEO of investment firm Pulte Capital.
Amidst the great support, Martinez, the couple’s nephew, told the Detroit Free Press that he was “excited.”
“Please let me know and let people know on behalf of the family, I am more than grateful and excited for the overwhelming love and support, whether it’s the kind words, the donations or even just spreading the word. word, it means a lot to us, ”he said.
The pages of GoFundMe have been created for other victims and survivors of the Uvalde shooting, including for schoolteacher Eva Mireles, whose family described her as “a hero.”
“She left her own fears that day to protect her students,” her sister wrote. “She was a gift that God let us borrow. Our family is torn, we want her back. Nothing will ever fill that void.”
A fundraiser was also set up for 11-year-old survivor Miah Cerrillo, who was covered in blood for the gunman to believe she was dead. Her mother wrote to GoFundMe that Miah will need “a lot of help with all the trauma.”
And for 9-year-old Kendall Olivarez, who was shot and survived. Her family is raising money for her medical care.
What we know about the victims of the school shooting in Texas
Irma Garcia’s relatives said she and her fellow teacher Mireles, 44, were killed Tuesday while trying to protect their students from a gunman who was in a riot.
Martinez said authorities told his family that Irma Garcia was used as a human shield to try to save the children.
“I want them to remember her as someone who sacrificed her life and put her in danger for her children,” she told The Post this week. “It simply came to our notice then. They were his children, and he put his life in danger, he lost his life to protect them. That’s the kind of person he was. “
On Thursday, her husband had also died.
Martinez said Joe Garcia, 50, was in the kitchen when he fell and Martinez’s mother began chest compressions until paramedics arrived. He was rushed to hospital, where he died, Martinez said.
“Our family is in ruins right now,” he told The Post. “Nobody expected any of that. It’s heartbreaking.”
Nick Anderson, Moriah Balingit, Marissa J. Lang, and Ian Shapira contributed to this report.